1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to accessing emergency services in a communications environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Emergency services, such as 911 services, can usually be obtained by taking a telephone receiver "off-hook", and dialing an alphanumeric code, such as "911", into the telephone. A local exchange carrier receives the request, determines the appropriate emergency service provider, and connects the caller with the emergency service provider. As another example of how a caller can access emergency services, a caller could dial a telephone number for a local police station and be connected with an emergency dispatch operator who determines the nature of the emergency and dispatches appropriate emergency response units.